A lead respiratory nurse at Southend Hospital has urged everyone to “do their bit” as she warns “it is tougher than Covid round one”.

Lisa Ward, from Leigh, took to social media pleading with the public to help keep the infection rates down to stop the NHS from becoming overwhelmed.

In a Facebook post, she said: “Southend hospital is absolutely chokka block!! Please people I am telling you everybody MUST do their bit!

“Do not believe the fake news – it is tougher than Covid round one.

Echo: Warning - the respiratory team at Southend HospitalWarning - the respiratory team at Southend Hospital

“Winter is always busier. As well as many more cases, more hospital admissions, we the staff can also continue to be affected too. We need to stay free from Covid or contact with Covid.

“This means our children and family need to stay free from Covid to be able to go into work and do what we do well.

“Keeping staff fit, well, motivated and free from transmission is most important. We need all our staff at work to look after the high volume of very very ill patients.

“Please keep the staff at work by: minimum contact with others, good ventilation in your houses, wash hands regularly, wear masks always, isolate if unwell or had contact with Covid.”

The nurse encouraged people to share her message far and wide and urged people to not mix households if they don’t need to.

She added: “Send this message out – keep your contacts to a minimum – don’t mix if you don’t have to. This is a national crisis and we have months to go. Thank you. PLEASE SHARE WIDELY.

“Do you really need to break your current bubble this Christmas?”